Stay Off Tracks, Don't Go Around the Gate..OR ELSE

posted by Gordon Byrd -

Sep 24, 2018

TAMPA (970 WFLA) -- It's NEVER a good day to wander down the railroad tracks... but especially not today (Tues).

In Tampa and around the nation, law enforcement officers will be standing watch at railroad crossings... to hand out tickets . "Operation Clear Track" is part of Rail Safety Week, a joint effort by Operation Lifesaver, Brightline and Amtrak to cut down on train versus car and train versus pedestrian accidents.

Hillsborough deputies are spending Tuesday morning at Broadway between the Bypass Canal and U-S 301, and Tuesday afternoon at the rail crossing on Fletcher Avenue just east of Nebraska.

Operation Lifesaver says train tracks are private property and you should never walk down the tracks. You shouldn't even take or pose pictures on the tracks. Just walking to the side won't save you, as trains are at least three feet wider than the tracks.

For drivers, don't drive around crossing gates and if there are two or more tracks at a crossing, don't drive over the tracks until you've checked in both directions.

According to Federal statistics, someone gets hit by a train in the U-S every three hours.